Who is Shyamvar Rai, the accused-turned-approver in Sheena Bora murder case?

On Saturday, Bombay High Court granted bail to Sheena Bora murder accused-turned-approver, Shyamvar Rai.

The bail was granted for parity as all other accused, including Indrani Mukerjea and her former husband Sanjeev Khanna, have been granted bail.

Who is Shyamvar Rai?

Shyamvar Rai was Indrani's driver, who was allegedly involved in the murder. 24-year-old Sheena Bora was killed in April 2012, however, the crime came into spotlight three years later with the arrest of Rai, for illegal possession of weapon on August 21, 2015.

It was during the interrogation, Rai informed the police that he knew of a murder that took place in April 2012.

Indrani Mukerjea, who is a former media executive and the wife of media baron Peter Mukerjea, had strangulated her daughter Sheena Bora in a car with the help of her former husband Sanjeev Khanna, Rai informed.

Four days later, the police had arrested Indrani and Khanna. Indrani maintained that she was being falsely implicated in the case.

Sheena Bora murder

However, Mumbai Police claimed that Bora was killed by Indrani and Khanna in a car driven by Rai and the body was buried in a forest in neighbouring Raigad district, the next day.

The body was found in a decomposed state one month after the murder, however, remained unidentified for three years till Rai's alleged disclosure, the police revealed.

Case handed over to the CBI

The case was transferred to the CBI in September 2015. In November 2015, the CBI nabbed Peter Mukerjea for allegedly being part of the conspiracy. It was learned that Indrani and Peter were unhappy with Bora's relationship with Rahul, Peter's son from earlier marriage. Reportedly, there were financial disputes between Bora and her mother as well.

In the year 2016, Rai sought to become a prosecution witness, claiming that he had remorse for what he had done, and wanted to reveal about the entire murder conspiracy.

Rai's shocking revelations in the trial

When the trial began in 2017, Rai made shocking revelations. He told the court that Indrani had planned Bora's murder with Khanna and that she contacted Rai through her assistant, and also spoke to him on Skype. She had also promised him to take care of his family's medical and education needs, if he helped them with the murder.

Rai informed that Indrani told him that he would not have to anything besides driving the car. On the day of the crime, Rai informed the court that on the day of the crime, he and Indrani picked Bora in Indrani's car and he gagged Bora, while Khanna held Bora's hands and Indrani strangled her.

Indrani, later, sat on the dead Bora's face and asked him to drive on. However, Indrani has denied the allegations in the court and said that Rai had been lying. On the occasion when both of them were brought to the court in same vehicle, she alleged that the driver had asked for Rs 50 lakh to 'remain silent'.

During the bail hearing, she also argued that Rai had brought the sum down to Rs 5 lakh later, however, she did not entertain him since she was innocent.

It was during their incarceration, Indrani and Peter also filed for divorce, which was granted by a family court on October 4, 2019.

In the month of December 2021, Indrani penned a letter to the CBI, claiming that Bora was alive and that a former woman police official lodged in the Byculla prison told her that while on vacation in Srinagar in 2017, she had seen someone who looked like Bora.

During the arguments in the Supreme Court, a total of 67 witnesses, including Rai, and several forensic experts have deposed, while over 180 witnesses were examined.

Indrani Mukerjea granted bail

On May 18 this year, the SC granted bail to Indrani, observing that she has been in custody for six-and-a-half years, which is “too long a time” and also that the trial is not likely to conclude soon. Peter had got bail from the high court in 2020, while Khanna was granted bail in June this year.

In July this year, a special CBI court permitted Indrani to furnish a surety from Thane.

Indrani had made a plea for the same. Earlier, she had approached the court for extending time to furnish surety and said that her contacts with persons she knew personally have broken.

As per her bail conditions, she is supposed to find two local persons to stand surety for her. She said that it will take her time to furnish sureties and hence sought eight weeks to fulfil the condition.

Published on: Saturday, August 20, 2022, 03:21 PM IST